No matter the distance, music brings us closer together. That’s what The Lunar Year represents. Born online in 2021, the pop-punk duo – consisting of UK-based vocalist, guitarist, and bassist Connor Ball (The Vamps) and Croatian drummer Sasa Macek (Cheat Codes) – kickstarted an unbreakable creative partnership that finds them infusing classic pop-punk melodies with fresh energy and an undeniable attitude. Having toppled charts and toured worldwide between them, their latest single, “Hey! Wait!,” finds the pair reflecting on their time in the spotlight and it’s the perfect blend of angsty pop-punk that will, without a doubt, get stuck in your head.
Reflecting on Ball’s time on tour over the last ten years acts as a reminder to always be present and to live in the moment, enjoying every bit of life whilst you still can. “I wanted to create a song to remind myself to always be present in whatever I’m doing whether it be playing shows or with family and friends,” begins Ball. “I came to a point in my life – I think over lockdown – where I realized that some of the best times of my life had just passed me by in a heartbeat and I wish I’d taken a second to take it all in.”
Co-written with Blink-182’s Mark Hoppus and their long-time producer Matt Malpass, the pop-punk track, which ignites a one-two punch of infectious, irresistible chants and airtight instrumentation, touches on the existential fear we all hold in the back of our minds yet is presented in a way that’s comforting through its simplistic, relatable lyrics. “Hey, wait, what did I think I was waiting for?” Ball questions over an energizing guitar riff and stereotypical, pop-punk drumbeat. “The best days of my life, they were right here before my eyes.”
Thanking Hoppus and Malpass over on Instagram, calling them the “most talented people” he’s ever met, Ball talks about how writing with the American bassist and co-lead vocalist was a dream come true. “We wrote the song in LA with Mark Hoppus which was a dream come true,” says Ball in a press release. “Blink inspired me so much while I was growing up, and to be able to sit in a room and create something so personal with Mark was amazing. He’s one of the nicest and most talented guys I’ve ever met,” he continues. “With everything he’s been through in his life, I feel like he could relate in ways that other people that I’ve written with couldn’t.”
Having deleted everything on their Instagram prior to the release of “Hey! Wait!,” we can only hope that this means The Lunar Year have something up their sleeves. In detailing the fears of missing out, the diary-like visuals that accompany the track, featuring the duo living their best life as they go on tour, meet fans, and even get matching tattoos, cements such memories online permanently so that they can never forget. The track may touch on their fears that their best days have already past, but as far as we’re concerned, their best days are right here!